29 Questions
What percentage of Earth's surface is covered in water?
71%
What percentage of the Earth's water is freshwater?
3%
Which form of water makes up the majority of the Earth's water?
Liquid water in oceans
What percentage of the remaining freshwater on Earth is frozen in ice caps and glaciers?
66%
Why is the water in the oceans not suitable for drinking?
It is too salty
What role do ice caps and glaciers play in regulating ocean levels and global temperatures?
They absorb excess heat
How much of the remaining freshwater on Earth is available for use and consumption?
1%
What percentage of the global water supply is made up of groundwater used for drinking and crop irrigation?
0.6%
How much of the Earth's water is comprised of saltwater?
96%
What percentage of the Earth's freshwater sources is found in ice caps and glaciers?
68%
Which type of water source makes up less than 1% of all freshwater on Earth?
Soil moisture
How does water move from the Earth to the atmosphere in the water cycle?
Through evaporation by the sun
What is the approximate diameter of the drop of water covering the central US, representing all available water on Earth?
860 miles
What is the percentage of surface water out of all freshwater on Earth?
0.3%
What percentage of the Earth's water is freshwater?
3%
Why is a large portion of the Earth's freshwater not available for use?
It is all frozen in ice caps
Which statement best describes the distribution of water on Earth?
97% of water on Earth is in oceans, while only 3% is freshwater
What role does water in the form of ice caps and glaciers play in the environment?
Helps regulate ocean levels and global temperatures
Why can't the majority of the water seen from space be used for drinking?
The water is too salty for human consumption
Where is a significant portion of Earth's usable freshwater stored?
In ice caps and glaciers
Why does water in its frozen state benefit the environment?
It helps to stabilize global temperatures and preserve water resources
What percentage of the Earth's water is made up of saline water or saltwater?
96%
Where can extensive amounts of saltwater be found in the western United States?
Utah, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and California
What percentage of the Earth's freshwater sources are made up of swamp water, rivers, and lakes?
0.3%
Where can soil moisture be found?
Between dirt particles following a rain shower or irrigation operations
What is the approximate diameter of the drop of water covering the central US representing all available water on Earth?
~860 miles
How does water move from the Earth to the atmosphere in the water cycle?
Evaporation by the sun and transpiration through plants
What percentage of the Earth's living creatures use freshwater as their main water source?
~96%
What percentage of all freshwater on Earth is made up of soil moisture and atmospheric water vapor combined?
~1%
Test your knowledge about the amount of water on Earth, which covers about 71% of the planet's surface. Learn about the different forms and locations of water, such as oceans, lakes, glaciers, and aquifers.
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